Dear Molly
by theatrelove123
Summary: From meetings, to first kisses, to laughter, to rivalries, to heartache, to utter adoration, these letters will give an inside look into the relationship between Luke and Molly through Luke's eyes.
1. The First Letter

**Hello fanfictioners! In what tends to be my usual fashion, I decided to start another project in the midst of the ones I already have going on. This will be a series of love letters from Luke, the fiery carpenter, to Molly, the yellow shirt wearing heroine of Animal Parade. These letters will chronicle everything about their relationship, from the day they meet to the day they get married. Most of the letters should be about 200 words each, so, if enough people show me that they're interested in my continuing (by REVIEWING! Yay!...Please?), then a new letter should come every few days. I don't know where exactly I'm going to go with this, but I think it'll be really cute :).**

**SUPER BIG DISCLAIMER THAT APPLIES TO EVERY CHAPTER (so I don't have to write another disclaimer after this, right?): I do not own Harvest Moon or any affiliated characters**

**I hope you enjoy reading about Luke and Molly in this collection of letters!**

**~Theatrelove**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_Today was your first day in Castanet. It's also the first day I laid eyes on you. I almost dropped my axe wh__en I saw you standing there. The first thing I noticed about you was that your hair smelled like strawberries._

_I like strawberries._

_I said 'hey' to you today. I introduced myself as Luke: the bestest axe man you'll ever meet. _

_You thought I was trying to impress you. And I totally was._

_I then told you about how you were really pretty. I told you about how I liked your eyes, and how your skirt was nice. You asked me if I was hitting on you. I told you yes._

_You slapped me._

_I smiled at you._

_You slapped me a second time._

_I'm never washing my face again._

_When I got home from woodcutting that day, Pops asked me if I was okay. "You look sorta flushed," he said. "You feelin' sick?" I said yeah, I am sick. What I didn't tell him is that I was lovesick._

_I haven't had a cru__sh since I can't remember when. I hope that I see you again tomorrow. I'll look out for soft brown hair and the telltale smell of strawberries._

_Yours (whether you know it yet or not),_

_Luke_


	2. The Second Letter

**Big thanks to those who reviewed! Now, on to letter #2!**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_I walked into the Brass Bar today for an early dinner. It was the second time I saw you._

_You were sitting by yourself in the far corner. You were drinking a glass of orange juice. Your shirt was the brightest of yellows. Your eyes were the most dazzling of browns. Your hair still smelled like strawberries._

_I sat down at your table. You pretended not to notice me, but I could tell you saw me._

_I said, "Hi."_

_You asked, "What do you want?"_

_I started to talk to you. I rambled about axes and the forest and dogs and the weather and anything I could think about. I was knee deep in an endless pit of words. _

_You nodded halfheartedly. I don't think you were totally interested. You seemed more interested in our waiter. Chase. You kept looking at him wistfully as he cooked. And when he came to take our orders, you stuttered._

_I didn't really notice it until today, but I never really liked him that all that much. Those prune colored eyes, that blotchy complexion, the scrawny muscles. I bet I could chop down twice as many trees as he could. And my new found dislike of him has nothing to do with the way that you looked at him tonight. Nothing whatsoever._

_Although I do wish that you would look at me that way._

_You finished your dinner. I wasn't hungry, so I drank my Coconut Cocktail. You got up, and you said that you were leaving. I told you that I didn't want you to go. You turned around to go outside, and I followed._

_Once we were alone outside, I asked if you might kiss me._

_You asked if I was insane._

_"One day, Molly, you will kiss me!" I promised you as you began to walk off. You just kept on walking without looking back. _

_What you don't realize is that I never break my promises._

_Yours (hopelessly),_

_Luke_


	3. The Third Letter

_Dear Molly,_

_Today was the animal festival. I woke up early this morning, hoping to be outside when you came around the Garmon Mines. I usually stay inside on festival days. But I didn't want to risk not seeing you._

_When I arrived at the festival, you were the first one I saw. You were talking to Cain about entering the races. I then decided to enter the races too._

_I borrowed a horse from a friend of mine in Waffle Town (her name is Angela, perhaps you know her?). I then signed up with Cain._

_"Luke! You never enter these races!" he said to me, sounding surprised._

_"Well, this one is for someone special." I told him. Cain jerked his square head meaningfully towards you, and I nodded._

_"Ahhh..." he said, smiling a knowing smile. "Well, you'd better get a move on. The race is starting!"_

_Sure enough, the races were about to begin. I immediately spotted you when I arrived at the starting line. You were sitting on your horse, Brownie. You were looking forward determinedly, while I tried to catch your eye. Your forward gaze faltered for a second, and you turned in my direction._

_We made eye contact. My heart skipped a beat._

_The starting gun went off. I rode my horse as fast as I possibly could, driven to win and get a big trophy and have you cheering for me and then we'll hug and then I'll get a passionate victory kiss and...Whoa. I'm getting way ahead of myself._

_By the final lap, You, Maya, and I were the front runners. I passed Maya without a second thought. But when it came to passing you, I hesitated. In a split second, I decided to let you pass me. There are more important things than winning anyway._

_Maya came in third, I was second, and you won. Your smile was priceless. Your laugh was like a tinkling bell._

_You went around, and everyone gave you a victory hug. You eventually came to me, and I gave you the biggest, bestest hug that I could give. I hope that it will be the first of many._

_Strawberries are now my favorite food._

_Yours (in every way I can be),_

_Luke_

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><p><strong>As usual, thank you for reading! I adore you, faithful reviewers, and I hope that more people will review in the letters to come. So, everyone, please review if you have any comments :).<strong>


	4. The Fourth Letter

**Letter number four! My letter per day streak thus far is pretty impressive, no ;)? Thank you to past reviewers, and to those of you who haven't yet (or those who have, and just want to do so again) please review if you have input :)!**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_Today, I decided to make my first real move. I went to your house at 6:00 on the dot this morning, determined to give you the honey I'd found in Fugue Forest. I knocked on your door, but you wouldn't answer. _

_I was sure you were playing hard to get._

_"Hey, Molly! Come out come out wherever you are!" I called. I was only answered with a cough. I decided to be patient for a few seconds before letting myself in._

_At first it didn't look like you were home, but another cough allowed me to spot you. You were in bed, hidden mostly underneath the covers. Your face was flushed red, and your eyes were tired. You were clearly sick._

_"Molly! Are you alright?" I asked you. You didn't answer, only coughed again in response. It was then I remembered. The honey._

_"I brought you some honey." I said, hurriedly digging through my pocket to find the jar. "It's good for sore throats."I handed it to you, and you ate it up gratefully._

_I spent the whole day with you. You weren't fit to talk, so we mostly sat in silence and listened to music. It was fine with me, though. I got the chance to be of help to you, which was more than I expected when I left for your house this morning._

_I didn't leave until 9:00 at night. At that point, you were well enough to toss me out. But I didn't mind, all that mattered was that you were well._

_When I got home, Pops asked where I was. I told him I was helping a friend._

_I think that we're friends. Do you? I hope so. I also hope that we might become something more._

_Someday, Molly, someday…_

_Yours (in sickness and in health),_

_Luke_


	5. The Fifth Letter

**Woot! Letter #5! It's almost Molly's birthday :). Read and review please :D!**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_Tomorrow is your birthday! I spent most of today trying to figure out the perfect present to give you._

_Bo said that when you give someone a present, you think about what you would want to receive."Chances are," he said, "that if you'd be happy to receive it, then the person you're giving it to will like it as well!"_

_ So I traveled to Toucan Island and grabbed as many bananas as I could carry!_

_Then, bananas in hand, I realized that not only would bananas not be the best birthday present, but that I like bananas way more than the average person. Defeated, I moved on._

_My second thought was that I could bake you something. I don't know how many Vegetable Curries I attempted to make, but it must have been a lot. I never want to see another Vegetable Curry again._

_I saw Chase at work in the kitchen today. The Brass bar was closed, so I asked what he was doing there. He said he was making you a present._

_I almost punched him in the face._

_"NOBODY GIVES MOLLY A PRESENT BUT ME!" I said. But I said it in my mind, so that no one else could hear me._

_I wanted to ask you what you'd want, but I also wanted my gift to be a surprise. I eventually started a whole, alphabetized list of ideas for birthday presents. It's 7:00 at night, and I just got onto letter 'P' for Poetry._

_Roses are red, violets are blue….Why does this have to be so difficult?_

_Yours (forever and ever and ever),_

_Luke_


	6. The Sixth Letter

**Wow! This story has gotten way more reviews in a short time than I'd ever imagined possible! And I'm only on letter #6 :). Thank each and every one of you bunches and bunches for your time, support, and incredibly thoughtful reviews. It's like an immediate self esteem booster every time I check my email :D. I hope that you will keep those lovely reviews coming if you like what you see, and that you will enjoy the chapters to come!**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_You're twenty one today! Only one year younger than me._

_Around 11:00 o'clock last night, after giving up on Poetry, Quaker Oats, and Rabbits, I got to 'S'. Then it hit me. Strawberries._

_I went outside and ran all the way to Marimba Farm. I woke a grumpy Ruth up from her sleep and begged her to let me buy three dozen strawberries._

_"These must be pretty important to you if you're getting them at this hour." She'd said. And she was right, they were very, very important._

_When I saw you walking by my house today (okay, I'll admit it, I was looking out the window waiting for you to come), I walked outside. I wished you a happy birthday and handed you the strawberries._

_"How did you know these were my favorite?" you asked._

_"Lover's intuition." I answered with a shrug. You looked at me with a face that said 'I want to slap you so hard', but I could tell that you were straining not to laugh. I think that's an improvement! I then pulled up my confidence pants (metaphorically, of course, I don't actually own a pair of confidence pants) and took a deep breath._

_"Do you want to watch the fireworks with me at the festival tomorrow?" I asked. Although I'm pretty sure it came out sounding more like: "youwannawatchfiretomorrowme?"_

_You said that it depended on what mood you were in, and that I'd have to wait and see._

_I take that as a yes!_

_I hope to see you tomorrow night. I'll be the one with the axe and the fiery bandana._

_Yours (you'll realize it soon enough),_

_Luke_


	7. The Seventh Letter

**Letter #7 and the fireworks festival!**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_The fireworks festival was today. I was chilling with Owen and Bo for awhile. But when I saw you arrive, I told them that I had to go. What can I say? A man has his priorities._

_I brought two coconut cocktails (Guess who the second one was for?) and walked over. _

_Then I noticed who you were talking to. Prune eyes, scrawny muscles. You were talking to the waiter. And it hurt._

_I downed the cocktails by myself while I watched you and waiter chat it up. You smiled at him just like you did that time before._

_What has he got that I haven't got?_

_Luckily, pretty boy waiter had to go to work at 6:00, as the Brass Bar doesn't close during the festival. I resolved to make you forget all about him. Or at least try to._

_Around 8:00, when the fireworks started going off I sought you out. The two hours in between 6:00 and 8:00 were spent prepping for that moment. You were sitting on the edge of the beach and, thank goddess, you were by yourself. Everything was perfect._

_I walked up behind you. You didn't turn your head. I sat beside you. You didn't bat an eyelash. But your eyes did flick to me for a second. And what a long second it was._

_The fireworks started. "These are amazing, aren't they?" I said to you._

_"Yeah, I've never been to a fireworks festival before. It's fantastic!" you replied. I could've started talking to you about festivals in Castanet, the making of fireworks, pretty much anything under the sun. But I decided not to. It seemed that nothing else needed to be said. So I settled for just watching the fireworks beside you._

_After awhile, right as a big yellow firework showered its sparks, I took a risk. I reached out my hand and closed it around yours. You seemed to recoil a bit out of surprise, but you did not let go. We sat together on the beach. We watched the fireworks together._

_We were holding hands._

_Honestly, if that doesn't signify a couple, I don't know what does._

_Face it, Molly; I'm getting through to you. And there's nothing you can do about it._

_Yours (on the beach, watching the fireworks, holding your hand),_

_Luke_

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><p><strong>I hope that you all enjoyed it! Now please bear with me as I take advantage of the number of views this story has gotten (Thanks guys; you're fantastic!). It's time for some...SHAMELESS ADVERTISING! WOOOOO!<strong>

**I have two other Harvest Moon stories. One is a Cliff and Claire oneshot called Shortcake. It's about Claire going to visit Cliff, and looking back on moments of their past together as she goes. I think it's very sweet at some points, but very sad at points, too. I wrote most of it at two AM, but I'm actually quite proud of it! **

**The other Harvest Moon story that I have is about Luke and Hikari/Molly (who is named Clarissa in the story), and it's called The Grass is Always Greener. Luke and Clarissa don't get along very well, so Finn visits the Harvest Goddess and asks for her help. However, the Harvest Goddess has a few tricks up her sleeve; she switches Clarissa and Luke's bodies, and refuses to change them back until they learn to like each other. The story takes you through they're journey of learning how to be each other, and finding love along the way :D. **

**I think that, if you've enjoyed Dear Molly thus far, then you'll probably enjoy my other Harvest Moon stories too! So please check them out if you get the chance :). Thank you all ever so much for your support, and I'll see you for another update tomorrow!**


	8. The Eighth Letter

**Letter #8! **

**Announcement: I'm planning on posting the first chapter of the Chase and Luke go to the movies fanfiction soon. I am also planning on writing a Jill and Skye fiction (which I hope will turn out to be different than most of the other ones on here!). Would you all be interested in that? Hey! Brilliant idea; you all can tell me that in your reviews :D. **

****As usual, thank you for your continuing reviews and your general awesomeness :).****

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_Is there a goddess? Sometimes I wonder. Because, if there is a goddess, then why won't she let me be with you? Honestly, I thought goddesses were supposed to be helpful._

_I only saw you in passing today; you were walking through Fugue forest with the Wizard. You were both muttering about a 'green bell' and a 'pink frog' or something._

_Each piece of wood I chopped today looked like the waiter. I found that I chopped about four times as much wood as I usually do. I'm not usually the jealous type. But I guess that you're the exception in that situation. _

_My dear, it seems that you bring out both the best and the worst in me._

_Selena came up to me today. She said that she had liked me for awhile. She asked me if I wanted to go out some time. I turned her down. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she asked me "Why?" I stared at her solemnly for a moment before I spoke._

_"I only have eyes for one girl."_

_She just walked away, sulkily. I guess she's never been turned down before._

_There's a first time for everything._

_Lately I've spent lots of time thinking. Just about life in general. You make me do that, I suppose._

_Pops says I've been growing up. Do you like grown up men? Cause I'll be whatever you want me to be._

_Yours (all grown up),_

_Luke_


	9. The Ninth Letter

**Letter #9!**

**NOTE: I'll be away for the next three days, so you won't be getting an update for a bit. But, when I come back, you can expect a super awesome, really long tenth letter :).**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_Today, as I walked by, I saw you working on your farm. You were watering all of your autumn crops. I asked if you needed any help. You handed me a watering can, some gloves, and a milker and told me to get started._

_At first I thought that it would be a piece of cake. What's farm work compared to macho man work like carpentry? Boy, was I wrong._

_First we watered your crops. I watered the carrots, while you watered the bell peppers._

_The watering can was heavy! _

_By the end of the watering, I was tired. You hadn't broken a sweat._

_Then we moved onto your animals. You brushed Brownie, and told me to milk your cow, Mimi. I told you that I didn't know how to milk a cow. You said that now might as well be a good time to learn._

_The actual cow milking wasn't difficult. More so was the getting the milker on the cow. Mimi didn't like me very much. Whenever I tried to get the milker onto her, she'd kick her legs all over the place, most of the time hitting me. At one point, she kicked me in a very uncomfortable place._

_"Ahhh!" I screamed as I fell to the ground, clutching my bruised nether region. You ran over to see if I was okay. I thought for a moment about pretending to be unconscious, so that you'd have to do CPR on me. But I decided against it._

_I want our first kiss to be real._

_I got up and assured you that I was fine. You still looked concerned though. Concern…I think that's a good thing!_

_You then went over and showed me how to milk Mimi. I put my arms over yours and milked her with you. Teamwork always gets the job done, I guess._

_At the end of the day, you thanked me for helping out, and said that you really needed it. I told you it was nothing, and that I'd be happy to help any time. You then sent me off._

_I hope that I'll be able to help on your farm a lot more in the future._

_Yours (the handy helper),_

_Luke_


	10. The Tenth Letter

**I'm back! And you know what that means? Super long tenth letter time! WOOHOO! After reading this over, it does, in some ways, appear more as a dialogue than a letter (at least compared to some other letters). It's also really, really long. What can I say? I'm assuming that, when Luke got home from his and Molly's first unofficial date, he started writing and writing and just couldn't stop! Even though it's less letter-like than the other chapters, I do hope you like it. I, for one, thought it was really cute :). Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_Today was our first unofficial date! I can't believe it, I never thought this day would come!_

_When I woke up this morning, Pops said that a pretty girl had come calling for me earlier. I immediately knew that he was talking about you. He handed me a basket of carrots._

_"What are these?" I asked him._

_"She wanted to thank you for all of your help. She said that these are some of the carrots that you two grew together." I grinned at him broadly, nodded my thanks, and took the basket up to my room._

_The carrots were a bright, beautiful orange. I quickly bit into one; it tasted sweet and crunchy and wonderful. On a scale from decent to perfect, they would've been rated shining. I placed the basket carefully at my bedside and then ran out of the house._

_Gee, I wonder who I was looking for?_

_I was walking through the center of Harmonica Town when I found you. I called out to you._

_"Hi, Molly! Need any help on the farm today?" I asked. You told me no, but thanked me for my help from the day before. You said that if I ever needed help, you would be happy to be there._

_"So…you're doing nothing today then?" I asked, my face breaking out into a smile._

_"What do you want?" You asked skeptically. I got down on one knee._

_"Miss Molly," I pretended to open a ring box. "Will you go to Toucan Island with me?" You giggled._

_"I've got work to do." You said, emphasizing the word work._

_"But you just said that you were doing nothing today…" I pouted._

_"Sorry, but it's a no! I've got other stuff to do; my life isn't all farm work!" You said, seriously this time. I could see that asking you was getting nowhere, so I decided on a more forward method. I said nothing in response to you. Instead, I lifted you off of the ground and held you up bridal style._

_"W-what are you d-doing!" you stuttered, blushing beet red. Everyone outside was looking at us, including pretty boy waiter. I didn't know what was running through his head, but I knew it was about you and me. The thought made me smile even wider._

_"I am taking you to Toucan Island with me for the day." I told you matter o' factly._

_"But you can't do this! This is like kidnapping! I could have you arrested!" You said, kicking at the air and sounding only somewhat frightened, more irritated. I only laughed._

_"Relax! I'm not going to hurt you or anything, we're just going on a little boat ride." I explained. That didn't make you much happier._

_"Let me go!" You shouted repeatedly, while I just kept on walking forward. I carried you up to Pascal, who seemed to be holding back laughter._

_"Two people to Toucan Island please!" I told him.._

_"No! Pascal! He's crazy!" You yelled. Do you really think I'm crazy? Hmm, I guess I could live with that._

_"Ah, young love." Pascal said sort of to himself as we got up onto the boat. When we left the mainland, you were still squirming and kicking._

_"Molly, even if I did let you down now, you would have to swim to get back to Castanet." I pointed out. You looked around, and your kicking ceased. You seemed to finally realize that your struggling efforts were futile. I'm glad you saw it my way._

_The boat ride was spent in silence. I held you like a bride the entire time. And you didn't ask to be put down. Were you just being lazy? Or were you secretly happy there, in my arms? I guess I'll never know._

_We arrived at the island. I told Pascal that he didn't have to come back until 8:00. I waited until his boat was out of sight before I finally let you down. You were scowling, and it amazed me how you could still look pretty when you were trying to be angry._

_"Have you ever played coconut soccer?" I asked and smiled at you. Your scowl faltered for a second._

_"No…" you replied slowly. " I haven't."_

_"Well then, let's teach you!" I said cheerfully. I picked up the biggest coconut I could find, and brought it over to a wide, flat stretch of sandy beach._

_"Now, coconut soccer goes like this…" and there it began. For awhile you played only halfheartedly. But soon you started to get really into it. Eventually, we were laughing and shouting together while trying to kick the coconut between two palm trees. After about an hour of coconut soccer, you turned to me._

_"Have you ever hula danced?" you asked._

_"Nope! But I'm guessing you'll teach me?"_

_You quickly went inside the island Inn, and came out holding two grass hula skirts._

_"Oh, no. You're not getting me in that!" I said._

_"You can't hula dance without the proper attire." You explained, smirking as you held up the skirt. I laughed and took it into one of the Inn bathrooms._

_We looked as though the island threw up on us. I was shirtless (something I'd hoped you would notice), and wore the grass hula skirt as a bottom. I was also donning a lei of Hibiscus flowers. I'll admit I felt a wee bit uncomfortable, but it was bearable. You, on the other hand, looked absolutely amazing. You were wearing a pink Toucan Island tank top and, like me, had a hula skirt for a bottom. You had a single Hibiscus in your hair. We both laughed at the way the other looked and smiled. You then brought me over to a grassy patch, and taught me how to hula dance._

_First you demonstrated. I could tell you were a dancer; one movement seemed to flow easily into the next._

_I, on the flip side, am not a dancer. I never quite got the hang of the hip movements involved, but I think I did an okay job. We danced together for I don't know how long, laughing and singing._

_After hula dancing came fishing, then flower picking, then cloud watching, then swimming. These activities all passed by in a blissful blur. All I knew was that I was having the time of my life._

_And I was spending it with you._

_Come 7:30, we were on the beach, watching the sunset. The sky was all different shades of red and yellow, and the first stars were just becoming visible in the sky. We had eaten a dinner of grilled Mahi-Mahi (caught and wrestled to the ground by yours truly), and were now sitting contently on the edge of the waves._

_"This was the best day of my life." I said dreamily._

_"Same for me." You agreed. It caught me a bit by surprise. A great surprise, but a surprise nonetheless. Tentatively, I reached out my hand and closed it around yours. There was no recoil this time, just a soft look of realization._

_"So…" I ventured. "When's our second date?"_

_"Second date? What do you mean?" You asked me, smiling._

_"Well you and me, on an island, together, all day long…that's like a date, isn't it?" I said._

_"I don't think something can be counted as a date unless both participants consent to it in the first place."_

_"You consented!"_

_"You call bridal style carrying me onto the boat my consent?" We both laughed. All was quiet for a few more moments._

_"It was a date." I said quickly._

_"Was not!" You shouted back playfully._

_"Was too!"_

_"It was not a date!"_

_"Are we holding hands?" I asked you._

_"What?"_

_"Are we holding hands?" I repeated. You looked down at our intertwined fingers as if noticing them for the first time. You tried to jerk your hand away, but I held on tightly._

_"Face it, Molly, it's a date." I said to you with a grin. You sighed wearily._

_"Fine. You win." I smiled. I like winning._

_To my great dismay, Pascal's boat pulled up. That meant that it was time to go._

_"You two lovebirds ready to leave now?" He asked._

_"Oh! We're not—"you started, but I cut you off._

_"Yup, I think we're all set!"_

_We boarded the boat, and this time you weren't in my arms. I wished you were._

_When we got off at Castanet, I offered to walk you home. Aren't I a gentleman?_

_We arrived at your house around 10:00._

_"I had lots of fun today." You told me._

_"Me too. Can we do it again?" I asked hopefully._

_"Maybe." You said simply. We stood there for a moment, silently. I broke that silence._

_"So….can I kiss you?" I leaned in. You put your fingers to my lips._

_"Are you kidding me? No kisses on the first date. Even you should know that." You said, before you turned to go into your house._

_"So it was a date!" I shouted triumphantly as you walked away. You smiled at me before you closed the door behind you._

_I floated all the way home that night. I think we made some progress, don't you? I really hope that we can go out again._

_'Cause I am going to get that kiss out of you, one way or another._

_Yours (we ARE a couple, there's no use denying it),_

_Luke_


	11. The Eleventh Letter

**Here's letter eleven! Review and enjoy :).**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_Why didn't you tell me that you'd be going out of town today?_

_My day has been empty without you. I think about you every waking moment, and now that you're not here, it hurts. A lot._

_It hurts more than jumping off a 1 million billion bazillion foot tall cliff and falling in a pit of snakes filled with sharp, pointy rocks._

_At least, that's what I'm guessing._

_Is this what it feels like to be in love? If it is, then I'm not sure if like it. Once you get back, I'm making sure that you never leave ever again. Without me, anyway._

_Do you miss me as much as I miss you? I hope you do. If you didn't, then…well…I might just have to jump into that pit of snakes. You know, the one with all the sharp, pointy rocks._

_Would you save me? I hope you would._

_This whole thing is just so confusing. When Pops told me that you'd left, I didn't feel like doing anything at all. I barely left my room today. I didn't even eat breakfast!_

_And I always eat breakfast._

_Please come home soon, life isn't the same when you aren't here._

_Yours (who misses you desperately),_

_Luke_


	12. The Twelfth Letter

**Hi readers! This is a day filled with both good news and bad news. The good news is that I'm leaving for Scotland to participate in a world wide theatre festival! Wooooooo :D! **The bad news (alright, so it's only bad news for you all) is that this is my last day of any sort of updating for at least two weeks *cue audience 'aww' noises*. I hate to say it, but you won't be seeing any of me on here for quite some time. But fear not, dear mortals! Because, although today is the last day of updates for awhile, there's lots of updating going on; a new Dear Molly letter, another chapter of The Grass is Always Greener, and the first chapter of a brand new story about the Wizard called The Love That Never Dies. So please enjoy them all! And, if you want to make me really, really happy and encourage me to get back to writing super fast once I come back, then REVIEW :)! There's almost nothing in the world that I'd rather come back to than an inbox filled with reviews :D. Thank you all!****

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_You came back today! Thank Goddess, I thought I might explode if I didn't see you soon._

_Right after I'd heard of your returning, I raced to meet you at the dock. When you got off the boat, I dashed up to you and gave you a BIG hug. I ran my fingers through your soft, strawberry scented hair. I told you how much I missed you. You laughed and said that you missed me too._

_That made me smile._

_You then said you had to get back to your farm and feed your animals. Impulsively, I grabbed your hand and pleaded that you not go._

_You asked, since when had I become so needy?_

_I answered, "Since I fell in love."_

_That was the first time I'd said the word to you. "Love". It's such a strange word, and I still don't really know what it means, but I do know that it applies to you._

_You blushed and said that you really had to go. I gave in, let go of your hand, and saw you off with a cheerful wave. I was somewhat surprised to find that I wasn't sad to see you go this time._

_I knew that I could visit you easily, that you were right across the bridge._

_When I came home, Pops was looking at me strangely._

_"So when were you planning on telling me about this thing between you and Molly?" He asked._

_"You knew?" I asked, shocked. I hadn't told anyone about it!_

_"Everyone on the island knows." He said._

_So I guess I'm a bit obvious, then. I didn't know everyone could tell I'm in love with you, but hey, I'm not really trying to hide it. I just hope that the waiter boy has noticed. I want him to be jealous._

_Is it just my imagination, or are you starting to look at me a bit differently? You seem more wistful, like the way you looked at Chase that one time._

_I hope that someday I'm all you look at._

_Yours (totally love drunk),_

_Luke_


	13. The Thirteenth Letter

**I'm BACK! Yes, I've returned from Scotland! And, wow, was it the trip of a lifetime. Truly amazing. I enjoyed it immensely.**

**But do you know what else I enjoyed immensely? The number of reviews I found in my inbox when I returned this morning. I almost cried with joy, there were so many! And they were all so thoughtful! You people are absolutely fabulous; your words mean more to me than you could even imagine. **

**That is why, even though I'm absolutely exhausted from the travel and the time difference, I've already started writing again. Your reviews push me to do my best, and I'm hoping that I can update quite a bit more before the school year starts up again! I only hope that you all continue to enjoy my stories, and that if you have any feedback or critique, you'll share it with me :D.**

**Again, thank you ever so much for your words. I promise to keep doing my best!**

_Dear Molly,_

_Today, Pops demanded that Bo and I clean out our closets. A long, hard job for sure, but nothing that the bestest axe man in the whole wide world couldn't handle!_

_It turned out that I had things in that closet dating back a loooooong time. It was kind of entertaining to look through all that old stuff; it brought back lots of different memories from when I was younger._

_What were you like when you were younger? Were you one of those cute little girls who wore pink and always had their hair up in pigtails? Or were you more of a tomboy, playing kickball on the playground instead of dress up? I'll definitely have to ask you at some point.  
><em>

_I want to know absolutely everything there is to know about you._

_Anyway, most of the things that I found went straight into the trash, just because I didn't have room for them in my closet anymore. However, there were a few that caught my eye. One in particular, actually._

_It was a small piece of paper. It read "MY DREAM GIRL" at the top in scraggly, five year old kid handwriting. Below the title was a drawing of a smiling stick figure with long hair, presumably my dream girl. And below my artistic masterpiece there was a list:_

_1) Pretty_

_2) Dark purple hair_

_3) Loves animals_

_4) Laughs at all my jokes_

_5) Name starts with an L like mine does._

_Let's see…you've got the pretty category covered, there's no question about that. You also love animals. Sure, you don't laugh at ALL of my jokes, but I'm still working on that. Where you and my dream girl differ is that you don't have dark purple hair, and your name starts with M._

_But you know what? I'd trade dark purple hair for your soft brown hair in a heartbeat. And to heck with our names beginning with the same letter! Five year old Luke really didn't understand women if he thought that he'd only find true happiness with a girl whose name started with L._

_I decisively threw the piece of paper away. I don't need my dream girl anymore. You're better than her, Molly. __Unlike my dream girl, you actually exist._

_I wonder what your dream guy was like at age five. He must've had bright blue hair and unmatchable axe skills, I'm sure of it._

_Yours (I' never really liked purple hair that much anyway),_

_Luke_


	14. The Fourteenth Letter

**IT'S THE KISSING CHAPTER! IT'S THE KISSING CHAPTER! IT'S THE...What? Oh, sorry, I guess I was too caught up in my happy dancing to write a proper A/N.**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_Well, well, well. Didn't I tell you that I always keep my promises?_

_Let's see, where do I even start?_

_It was in Fugue forest. Stars were shining over head. The ground was covered in a thick blanket of snow. I had been walking in the forest by myself, like I always do when winter rolls around._

_Then you appeared. You were clutching onto a deep red jacket with green knitted mittens, keeping it tightly wrapped around you. Your blue jeans were sprinkled with powder and your brown furry boots were almost completely hidden beneath the white._

_I asked what you were doing outside. It was unlike you to come to the forest in the snow._

_You said that you had come to make sure that I was okay._

_"What?" I asked, confused. You explained that you had gone to my house, but that Pops had said I wasn't home. You'd asked him how long I'd been gone, and he said three or four hours. The snow was piling up, and you started to get worried._

_You went to look for me. You were worried about me._

_I can't even describe to you how much that means to me._

_Shocked at your care (and, admittedly, feeling smug that you had shown this type of care to me and not the waiter), I explained that I usually lost track of time when I was wandering in the woods. You said nothing, and took a step closer to me._

_You looked at me sternly, right in the eyes._

_"Promise you won't ever scare me like that again." You said._

_It was at that moment that I abandoned all concern and resistance. It was at that moment that I took hold of your waist, lifted you up into the air, spun you around, and, finally, planted a big kiss right on the lips that I'd been admiring for so long._

_After a few seconds, I pulled away from you. "I promise I'll never scare you like that again." I whispered gently to you, tucking a stray piece of brown hair behind your ear. "As I told you, Molly, I always keep my promises."_

_You looked at me wide eyed, seemingly at a loss for words. Then a second amazing thing happened; you kissed me back._

_You kissed softly and sweetly, better than anyone else I'd ever kissed before. More phenomenal than anything I could have imagined._

_When you pulled back, I held out a hand. Y__ou took it in yours. We walked out of the forest together._

_You said nothing else. I said nothing else. There was nothing else that needed to be said._

_Yours (I think kisses are my new favorite thing),_

_Luke_

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><p><strong>On another note...do I really have over 100 reviews? Am I <em>dreaming<em>? Wowza, somebody pinch me because you people are tremendous. I never even imagined having a story of mine get more than 50 reviews! You've made more than my day...probably my life, by this point :). Thank you sosososo much, and feel free to keep the reviews coming! I could get used to this xD. See you next time!**


	15. The Fifteenth Letter

**Update time! The next few chapters are kind of long, mostly due to dialogue. Sorry, I couldn't resist xD! I hope that you don't mind the increase in length, and that you continue to enjoy/review!**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_I walked around for most of the day in a blissful fog, unable to think of anything but the feeling of your lips against mine, and the look on your face after those lips had parted._

_By late evening, I knew that I had to see you. I had to ask you the questions that had been running through my head incessantly._

_Are we a couple? Like, an official couple? Do you like me as much as I like you? Can we kiss again soon? What kind of shampoo do you use that makes your hair so soft?_

_All of these questions were on the tip of my tongue when you opened your door for me._

_"Hey." You said, blushing._

_"Hey." I replied, blushing back._

_So much for a wave of questions._

_After a few moments of standing at the door awkwardly, neither of us knowing exactly what to say, you remembered yourself and invited me in._

_As I walked inside, I spotted a small, comfy looking red couch. For some reason, I felt the need to ask your permission to sit. I knew that, if I sat down on it, it would imply that I was planning to stay for awhile, and I wasn't sure if that was what you wanted._

_You looked at me, looked at the couch, and nodded._

_ I plopped down on the couch, making myself at home while you walked into your kitchen and went to work on something._

_"I was just getting hungry. You want something to eat?" you asked._

_I was about to tell you that you didn't have to do that. But what came out of my mouth was, "Sure."_

_I guess I was worried that, if I said I didn't need anything to eat, I would have to leave._

_I watched you as you cooked, mesmerized by how effortless you made it look. Your lips were pursed in concentration as you expertly stirred a steaming pot._

_The lips that I kissed. That's all I could think of when I looked at them. Those were the lips that I kissed. And they were also the ones that kissed me back…_

_I tried to shake those thoughts out of my head. I knew that, whatever happened, I couldn't get too lost in looking at your lips. If I got too lost in them, then I would want them again. And if I wanted them, and you didn't want to give them to me, I would be heartbroken._

_"Food's done!" You announced cheerfully, placing two plates of spaghetti on a small wooden table. I sat down across from you, and let the delicious smell of spaghetti travel up my nose._

_"It smells amazing!" I told you. You smiled, and said that I could get started._

_It was strange, eating with you. It was completely different from eating together on the beach, more formal somehow. I could feel your eyes trained on me as I ate, but every time I looked up they would return to your plate._

_"This is wonderful, Molly." I said in between forkfuls of food._

_You laughed your lovely laugh. "I'm glad you're enjoying it!"_

_"Is spaghetti your favorite food?" I asked. It wasn't similar at all to the bigger questions that were plaguing my mind, but at least it was a question._

_"Nope. Strawberries are my favorite food." You said._

_My face lit up. "I knew it!" I shouted without thinking._

_"Hmm? How?" you asked, puzzled._

_"You've always smelled like strawberries." I said, kind of embarrassed. I hoped you wouldn't read too much into the fact that I had taken the time to notice what you smelled like._

_"Really? Luke, I've always thought that you smelled like a combination of pine trees, perspiration, and bananas." You must've seen the look of horror on my face, because you continued._

_"Don't worry, it's a good thing! I actually really like it…" You trailed off, giving me a shy smile._

_"Do you ever get lonely here, Molly?" I asked you, kind of out of the blue. Actually, it was really out of the blue. Heck, I don't even know where it came from!_

_"What do you mean?" You asked. I guess you didn't know where it came from either._

_"Well, you're always eating here alone. By yourself. Doesn't that get lonely?"_

_You shook your head. "Not really. Only on festival days, I suppose. It gets a little lonely then."_

_ I then remembered that Christmas was in about a week. You would be eating on Christmas eve all by yourself. I couldn't let that happen._

_"How about you come over to my place for Christmas eve dinner, then?"_

_"W-what? No, that wasn't at all what I was asking. I mean, I don't want to intrude—"_

_"Nonsense! Molly, you are coming to eat with my family on Christmas eve. No ifs, ands, or buts. I'll carry you there if I have to." I told you seriously as I stood up and pushed my chair in._

_You sighed. "I guess I don't have a choice then, do I?"_

_"Nope!" I told you with a smile. "Dinner was awesome. I'll tell Pops to expect you on the 24th."_

_You nodded tiredly in response._

_"G'bye, Molly. Sweet dreams." I said._

_"Good night, Luke." You replied. I quickly bent down and kissed you on the forehead before running for home._

_I was careful not to look back, but I hope that you were smiling._

_Yours (making your dinner table less lonesome),_

_Luke_


	16. The Sixteenth Letter

**Merry Christmas in August! At least in this chapter anyway ;). I hope you all enjoy it, and please review :D!**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_Merry Christmas eve! I hope that Santa treats you especially well this year! If he's half as enchanted with you as I am, then you're sure to get lots and lots of presents._

_I spent most of today prepping my family for your arrival. Pops was actually fairly good about things; he said that he didn't want to ruin my chances with a special girl._

_Bo on the other hand, wasn't quite as cooperative. For some odd reason, he seemed to think that the idea of you and me together was absolutely hilarious._

_"Are you sure this isn't some big practical joke, Luke? I mean, you and Molly?" Once he said this he just started laughing. I'd never felt anything like it before, but at that moment I had the strong desire to kick Bo where it really hurts. _

_Are we that silly to people? Are my feelings that impossible?_

_No, I can't be thinking like that. Bo is just one person. One horribly wrong person._

_After deciding that it would be best to ignore he-who-shall-not-be-named-because-he's-totally-and-completely-wrong-about-us, I went upstairs and changed into my best (and, admittedly, my only) tuxedo. I combed out my hair, and put on a fancy little bowtie. Everything had to be absolutely perfect._

_You arrived at 7:15 on the dot. When I opened the door, my mouth literally fell open. You were wearing a beautiful sparkly red dress, complete with dangly earrings and just the right amount of makeup. Wowza._

_"I feel like a lowly peasant boy standing next to a queen." I told you as I walked you in. You giggled, and said that you thought I looked wonderful. My cheeks inflamed._

_At the start of the dinner, I was really, really nervous. Even more nervous than Luna gets about what she's going to wear the next day. __And that's pretty darn nervous._

_But, eventually, it felt like you were just another part of the family. Pops made jokes, Bo and I alternated on telling stories, and you told us more about life on your farm. By the end of the dinner, we were all talking and laughing and singing together. I didn't want Christmas eve to end!_

_But, unfortunately, I'm not a time wizard. So the dinner did eventually come to a close. You thanked Pops for having you, gave Bo a handshake, and then you turned to me and gave me a big kiss good night._

_"Ooooooh!" Pops and Bo made sounds in the background. I shot them an angry glare, but you just laughed and wished us all a merry Christmas before walking out the door. I wish that I could deal with things as gracefully as you do._

_A few minutes after you left, Bo came up to me._

_"Hey, Luke...I'm sorry about what I said earlier." He said, looking sheepish. "I was wrong. It looks like Molly really loves you." My face broke out into a gigantic grin at his words. I thanked him sincerely and pulled him into a tight hug. I was floating on cloud nine for the rest of the night._

_Was Bo right this time, Molly? Do you love me? It would absolutely make my world if you did._

_Just like with your birthday, I know that whatever I get you for Christmas has to be super special. I also know that if I'm going to get it to you by the time you wake up tomorrow, then I'll have to work real hard._

_But that doesn't matter. 'Cause you're worth it._

_Yours (all I want for Christmas is you),_

_Luke_


	17. The Seventeenth Letter

**Another long chapter :p. I don't like these letters long; I feel like it takes away from their letter-y quality. Oh well, I can't cut down on the dialogue, I like it too much x). So long, dialogue filled letters it is!**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_When I woke up, I knew. I knew exactly what I would get you for Christmas. Don't you just love it when that happens?_

_Not wasting a second, I began rummaging through my dresser. Then I found it. It was my second favorite bandana, which looked just like the one I was wearing except that the fire decals were blue instead of orange._

_I needed to give it to you. To see you wear it would've been a dream come true._

_I grabbed the bandana and raced down to your house just as the sun was beginning to rise. I'd completely forgotten about whatever might be under the tree waiting for me; I had more important things to take care of._

_I tried to open your door, but the knob wouldn't budge. I then remembered that it was still fifteen minutes until 6:00, so of course your door wouldn't be unlocked. Defeated, I pondered my next move. Most people would've settled for waiting outside your door fifteen minutes before giving you your present..._

_But, in case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not most people. So instead, I opted for a more Christmas-y route. I started to scale the wall of your house, my sights set on the chimney at the top._

_Bo has always called me a monkey, so I was pretty confident in my climbing skills. It wasn't as easy as I thought it'd be, though. I stumbled a lot, and almost fell down twice!_

_But I persevered, of course, and made it up to the top of your roof without breaking too much of a sweat._

_Without hesitance, I climbed into your chimney. Slowly, I started to make my way down. The farther down I got, the more I began to wonder how on Earth I had gotten myself into such an odd situation, when I easily could've waited five minutes and just knocked on your door!_

_Love makes you do crazy things, I suppose._

_Anyway, there was no turning back at that point, as it's much easier to climb down a chimney than it is to climb up one (sadly, I know this from painful experience). All I could do was keep carefully descending towards the ground and pray to goddess that you didn't have a fire going._

_Eventually, my foot touched the floor, and I found myself inside your home again. I wasn't yelling and screaming, and my pants weren't aflame, so I'm assuming you didn't have a fire going. You must have known I'd be coming._

_"Molly," I said. "It's Christmas, time to get up!"_

_You looked at me sleepily for a few moments before your eyes widened in realization of what was happening._

_"L-luke!" you stammered._

_"You look adorable when you've just woken up, you know." I teased, smiling playfully at you. You blushed, embarrassed, but you also smiled back._

_"Anyways, merry Christmas!" I shouted. "Now get up! I want to give you your present." Laughing at my enthusiasm, you complied and stood up. I then instructed you to close your eyes, brought you over to your mirror, and expertly tied the flaming bandana onto your head._

_"And…open!" You opened your eyes, and your face spread out into the widest grin I've ever seen._

_"Oh my gosh! Is this…is it yours?" You asked, touching it in amazement._

_"Yes, it's my extra. It looks perfect on you." I said, giving your shoulders a reassuring squeeze from behind._

_You turned away from the mirror to face me, and I saw tears welling up in your eyes. "Luke, this is great. I love it." You said. Inside, I was rejoicing; I knew you'd like it, but I didn't know that you'd like it this much!_

_"Whoa, there's no reason to cry! I wanted to give it to you. I had to. Now you'll have a little piece of us to wear whenever you like." You nodded and wiped the water from your eyes._

_"Yes, you're right, I shouldn't cry at all. A little piece of us…This bandana is wonderful. Thank you." You told me earnestly. We just stood there and looked at each other for a few more moments before you spoke again. "Oh! I've got your present too!"_

_Excitedly, I followed you into the corner of the room where a basket sat. You picked it up and handed it to me._

_The tag read, 'Luke Care Package'. Inside, there was some axe polish, a homemade blanket, a teddy bear, a bunch of bananas, a bottle of cocoanut cocktail, and a little slip of blue paper that said 'I Owe You'._

_"Molly, this is fantastic! It's like all of my favorite things in one basket!" I said gleefully. I don't know how you were able to find all of my favorite things, but you had somehow managed to fit each and every one of them into the one small basket. "But what's the 'I Owe You' for?"_

_"Well, there was one more thing that I wanted to put into the basket, but I couldn't find it in time for Christmas…" You explained._

_"Can I know what it is?" I asked._

_"Nope, you'll just have to wait and see." You said with a wink._

_"Molly, this is seriously the best present I've ever gotten." I said, closing the space between us. "Thank you so much."_

_"No problem! I'm so happy that you like it." You giggled, and gave me a quick kiss that made my heart race._

_From that point on, the day just kept on getting better. Our bandannas on, we ran outside and began playing in the snow. We made snow angels, went sledding, threw snowballs…We even built a snowman that ended up looking kinda like Mayor Hamilton!_

_Once all of our playing was done and we were well past exhausted, we headed back inside your house and drank hot cocoa on your couch. It was pure happiness._

_"That was wonderful." You said, putting down your mug and nestling yourself underneath my arm, which I gladly put around you._

_"Honestly, Molly, I think I could get used to living like this. I'd spend every day with you if I could." I told you honestly. But this time, even after admitting something big like this to you, I didn't blush. I'm not self-conscious about loving you like I was before._

_"Yeah…" you replied softly, your voice drifting off and your breathing slowing down. In a matter of minutes, you had fallen asleep on my arm._

_I sat like that with you until late. Eventually, I knew had to get back home. I gently removed your head from my arm, lay you down on the couch, and kissed you good night on the cheek before heading out the door and towards the house._

_The first thing that I was greeted with was an incredulous Bo._

_"Where were you all day? Luke, you didn't even open any of your presents!" In response, I held up the Luke care package you made for me._

_"Didn't I, though?" I told him with a slight smirk. Bo looked as though he was about to ask where I got the present, but Pops cut him off._

_"Molly?" he asked._

_"Molly." I nodded._

_I told them that I'd save the rest of the presents for the morning, and walked upstairs to bed. Even upstairs, however, I didn't miss Pops' last comment._

_"He spends so much time with her, you'd think they were married…" he grumbled. _

_The thought made me happy. I hadn't wanted to leave you earlier tonight; if I lived with you, I could have fallen asleep next to you on the couch._

_I know we've only known each other for a year Molly, but what would you think of us getting married? I can't imagine anything more wonderful than waking up to the most beautiful face in the world each morning, and falling asleep next to it each night._

_As thoughts of us being together all the time danced through my head, I knew that today had been a merry Christmas indeed._

_Yours (morning, noon, and night),_

_Luke_


	18. The Eighteenth Letter

**Hey readers! I can't believe I'm on letter 18...time sure does fly. This also means that there will be only two letters remaining after this one :(. But don't worry, I'll try hard to make those letters the best they can possibly be! Also, after the last two letters, there's going to be a super awesome epilogue ;). It's not over just yet, so please stick around for the end of the ride!**

**I like how this chapter turned out; I think it's sweet :). But who gives a darn what I think? I give a darn what YOU think, readers, so please continue reviewing and being wonderful :D. Enjoy the chapter!**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_I had a pretty weird dream last night. You and I were running through Fugue forest together. We were happily cutting down trees with our axes, when all of a sudden a HUGE robot monkey with red eyes and big teeth (that looked kind of like Yolanda…) came crashing into the forest! You looked at me, determined. "Here, Luke," you said. "Take my ice cream cone. It'll save you." You then tossed me a double scoop mint chocolate chip ice cream. I was just preparing to use it to clobber the robot monkey/Yolanda when I woke up._

_The whole thing was pretty believable, except, y'know, for the big robot monkey and the ice cream battle. I wasn't entirely surprised though; I always have weird dreams the night before New Year's Eve._

_The fireworks are tonight, and I can't think of anyone I'd rather be with while watching them. It's funny to think that, the last time I asked you to watch fireworks with me, you barely gave me the time of day! This time, however, you simply said, "I'll see you there at eight." And then you smiled at me. _

_Was it just me, or was there something mischievous about that smile? Like you had some big trick up your sleeve?_

_Anyway, true to my usual punctuality, I was there at precisely eight o'clock. At first, it was hard to find you amongst the crowd of people at the beach. But I soon spotted you sitting on the dock, looking out at the sky._

_I sat by you, and we talked. We talked about all sorts of things; the ocean, stars, herbal tea, how the carpentry was going for me, how the farming was going for you. Then the conversation took an interesting and more unusual turn towards the topic of New Year's resolutions._

_"What's your resolution, Luke?" you asked, brown eyes looking into my amber ones curiously._

_I had to think for a moment before answering. "Well, I wanna make Pops prouder of my carpentry work, I wanna get better at my axe tricks, I wanna climb to the top of the Garmon mines, and I—" I stopped._

_"...What? What else? C'mon, you know you can tell me." You prodded, knowing that I'd give in eventually. You were right about that; I broke down pretty fast. What can I say? You're just too cute when you're being stubborn._

_"I…wanna get better at loving you. I mean, I wanna be the bestest to you that I can be." I mumbled, embarrassed._

_You looked at me with your sparkling eyes and laughed with your tinkling bell laugh. "Luke, you're too sweet."_

_"It's true! You mean the world to me, Molly."_

_"You mean the world to me, too." you smiled adoringly, causing my heart to flutter. Even though we've been together for some time, my heart still hasn't stopped fluttering whenever I'm around you._

_A 'bang!' sounded, alerting us to the starting of the fireworks. The explosions were spectacular, but all that I could really think of as I watched them was how perfectly your head seemed to fit onto my shoulder as you lay it there. It was as if your head was the missing puzzle piece that my shoulder was looking for, and had finally found._

_"Luke?" you whispered softly as a giant burst of red exploded in the sky. I was somewhat surprised to hear your voice; the fireworks had been going on for awhile, and you'd gotten so quiet that I thought you might have fallen asleep._

_"Mmhmm?" I mumbled tiredly in response. Okay, so I might've been closer to falling asleep than you were..._

_"I never told you my New Year's resolution." you said._

_"No, you didn't." I realized. "Go on, then. What does the ever esteemed Molly wish for in the New Year?"_

_But, instead of answering my question, you asked a different one. "…What would you think about us living together?"_

_This took me by surprise. "What? I thought that you were going to tell me your resolution?" I said, confused._

_"I'm getting there." you assured me. "I've been doing a lot of thinking. A lot. And I know that we've only known each other for a year, and that we've only been 'together' since about mid-autumn…"_

_If my heart had been fluttering before, it was threatening to pound out of my chest as your head left my shoulder and your hands began to rummage through your rucksack._

_"Luke, I hope this isn't too sudden, but…my New Year's Resolution is to marry you." You said, pulling out something thin and blue. A feather._

_One run of the finger over it told me that it was a real feather. Not store bought, not any kind of imitation, but a real feather from a real blue bird. I was absolutely speechless at both your words and the feather you held in your hand. If the fireworks were still going off, I didn't notice; I was entirely wrapped up in what you had just told me._

_You were blushing furiously, carefully avoiding my eyes. "I-if it was too sudden, then I understand. I g-guess I just couldn't wait, and I wanted to see what you'd say…" you trailed off._

_No! That wasn't what I wanted! My mouth twitched a bit as I tried to form a coherent sentence, but I had no success. I was simply too shocked for words. So I did the only appropriate thing to do at a time like that._

_I quickly pressed my lips to yours as sparks literally flew in the background. The kiss held everything I wanted to tell you then; how I'd been in love with you since day one, how I love the way you look and smell and talk, how I think you're the most beautiful girl in the world. All of that in just one kiss. No words required._

_After we'd been kissing for a few moments, you broke for air. "Luke? D-does that mean yes?" you asked._

_"Mmhmm…" I murmured against your lips as I began to kiss you eagerly again._

_Finally, we both pulled away. I found the blue feather still clutched in my hand. I looked from you, to the feather, to you again._

_"Was this what you were planning on giving me in the basket on Christmas?" I asked, smirking a bit._

_You nodded. "Yeah, I couldn't find it in time though. I've been going up to the top of the Garmon Mines every day looking for the feather."_

_"…And are we really getting married?" I wondered, breathlessly. I had to ask, if only to make sure that I wasn't dreaming._

_"We really are." you said, beaming at me. "This is amazing!"_

_"I can't think of anyone else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with." I told you._

_"Me neither." You whispered, pulling me into a loving embrace._

_We stayed like that a long time, just hugging, as we let all that had happened sink in._

_Once the fireworks were finally finished, we let go of one another and stood up._

_"Molly, thank you…thank you for everything!" I told you, grinning like a maniac._

_"When should the wedding be? I want to let Hamilton know as soon as possible." you said. Huh, I hadn't even thought about that. I was too consumed by thoughts of us rolling through fields of flowers in marital bliss that I'd forgotten that we actually had to have a wedding._

_I guess it's a good thing that the girl I'm marrying compensates for me in the responsibility department._

_"How about a week from now?" I posed._

_"A week? But that's so soon!"_

_"Yeah! We can have the wedding right here, on the island! It won't be complicated; just a few preparations here and there. We'll totally be ready in a week!" I exclaimed, officially set on the idea._

_You giggled at my enthusiasm, and shrugged. "Well, if you say so, Luke, then a week it is!"_

_Just as we had set the date for a week later, Pops and Bo came over. Bo was eating a corn dog, while Pops was busy looking agitated at me for not getting ready to leave._

_"Luke! C'mon, the festival's over and it's getting late." He told me. I ignored what he said, however, as much more important things had just happened._

_"Pops! Guess what, guess what?" I shouted. "Molly and I are gonna get married!"_

_Bo practically choked on his corn dog at this announcement. Pops' eyeballs bulged._

_"Well I'll be…" was all he said as you and I smiled at him. He probably couldn't believe that I'd just gotten engaged to such a wonderful girl. I can still hardly believe it myself._

_When we arrived back at the house (Bo having stared at me in awe the entire walk home), the first thing I did was write our wedding date down on the calendar. After that I jumped into bed, slid under the covers, and let thoughts of you and I dance happily through my mind._

_I can't help but wonder why you chose me in the end. Was it because of my amazing axe skills, or my dazzling good looks? Was it because of my enthusiasm, or the way I joke about things?_

_Was it because I love you so much?_

_I don't think I'll ever know for sure. Regardless, I'm happy that you feel the way you do, for whatever reason it might be. I'm happy that you proposed. I'm especially happy that you proposed to me._

_...I still can't believe it!_

_Yours (the luckiest man alive),_

_Luke_


	19. The Ninteenth Letter

**Chapter nineteen has arrived! Review and enjoy, please :).**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_Boy, has life been hectic since we decided to get married! I honestly don't think I've ever had to work so hard in the course of just one week._

_Not that I haven't loved every minute of it. The invitations, the decorating, the catering…none of it was any trouble, because I knew that, in the end, it would all lead up to making what was sure to be the happiest day of my life even happier._

_Of course, this weekend hasn't been ALL fun and games; there were some serious discussions to be had, too. Like about our living situation. _

_I don't really feel like we'd actually be married if we didn't live together. And you definitely couldn't move into the carpentry building! So the only possible solution, we decided, was that I move in with you._

_Breaking the news to Pops and Bo wasn't easy. I think Bo even shed a few tears! (Not that he'll ever admit to it, but I always knew he was a softy!) But what Pops did was, in a way, even more amazing. He turned to me, looked me straight in the eyes and said,  
><em>_"I'm proud of you, son."_

_He said he was proud of me. HE SAID HE WAS PROUD OF ME. This, the one thing that I've sought after my entire life, has never happened before. Until now. He's finally proud of me, and it's all because of you. You've completed me, Molly._

_I gave them both big hugs, promised that I'd talk with them often, said that I'd be sure to keep up with my carpentry, and that was that. Of course, I knew that it wasn't the end, or anything. Heck, I go there every day to work anyway! But I do feel like my moving in with you has been a transition of some sort. It's like the end of one book and the beginning of the next!_

_Unfortunately, we didn't get to spend too much time together our first night, as Owen and the guys insisted on throwing me a bachelor party._

_"Your last night as a single man!" he said, clapping me on the back as I entered the bar. But I wasn't really sure my last single night was something to celebrate. I mean, when you decide to get married, haven't you decided that you don't want to be single anymore, and that you're ready to move on?_

_Well, most of the guys in the village didn't seem to think so. "Another round of drinks for the big guy over here!" they kept shouting. "He won't be able to get away with it for much longer!" And then they laughed, and drank until their faces flushed bright red. Through the course of the night, I received several consolations; "hey, I'm sorry bro", and "we all make mistakes" were two of the most popular. I told them not to feel bad for me, that I was elated about my upcoming marriage! "Suuuuure," Owen said, and then suggested that we hire some strippers to come by for an hour or so. Luckily, I managed to talk him out of it, much to everyone else's disappointment. But they just didn't understand._

_I can't really blame them, though. None of them have met their 'Molly' yet. They haven't had what you and I have, so how could they know what it's like? I feel sorry for them._

_It was about midnight when the party finally began to settle down. As I was heading back to you, I heard the sound of footsteps coming closer._

_I turned around to meet prune eyes and pale skin. The waiter. Surprisingly, he'd shown up at the party too, although we hadn't talked since before the fireworks festival. He was breathing hard, having had to run pretty fast to catch up with me._

_"…What's up?" I asked after a few moments. The awkwardness in the air was practically tangible. We had been rivals for your affection, so of course we weren't on excellent terms._

_"I just wanted to say, congratulations." he said. I was slightly taken aback. The waiter? Congratulating me?_

_"Uhhh, thanks?" I replied, although it was more of a question than anything else. I certainly hadn't expected that, after all this time, he'd be congratulating me for being with you._

_"No, really." He said, looking at me evenly. "She's a great girl. I know you two will be happy together." And, as if to prove his sincerity, the waiter smiled at me slightly. I was still stunned._

_"Wow, thank you!" I said, smiling widely. "That means a lot, considering we both liked her and all."_

_He shrugged. "She loves you, though. It wouldn't have worked with her and I, in the end; she still would have loved you. I wasn't the right guy." he didn't seem upset by this though, just matter-o-fact._

_I couldn't resist. I immediately went in to tightly embrace the waiter._

_"Hey, hey. Just because I approve of you two being together doesn't give you excuse to hug me. I'm not a hugger." He said, and I backed off. But there was still the hint of a smile on his face, so I knew I was in the clear._

_"Sorry, I just couldn't help it. It's just…thank you so much! And I know you'll find the right girl for you soon. Definitely." I told him, and he blushed._

_"Or maybe you've already found her?" I asked him, and you should've seen the look on his face. Shock. Embarrassment. Yet the same type of goofy happiness that I must wear when I look at you. His face turned even brighter red._

_"Y-yeah. Maya and I…" he trailed off. "I…I've got to go. Just know that I'm happy for you, okay?" he said, suddenly fidgety._

_"Alright. And be sure to give Maya my best, okay?" I asked._

_"I will, give Molly mine!" he said, smiling as he jogged off. Despite us both going after you, I'm really happy for him. I think that tonight was the first time I've ever seen the waiter really smile._

_When I arrived at home, our home, you were already curled up in your newly purchased double bed._

_"I'm home, Molly." I told you, planting a small kiss on your cheek. Your eyes fluttered a bit, and you looked at me sleepily._

_"Hmm, Luke? How was the party?" you whispered, sounding slightly disoriented._

_"It was fine." I said as I removed my shirt, put on some sweat pants, and crawled under the covers beside you. "Tomorrow will be even better though."_

_"Mmmhmm…" you hummed as you nodded sleepily. "I can't wait."_

_You were obviously tired, so I didn't talk to you anymore. Instead, I pulled you close, and you settled your head down on my chest._

_That was all. There was no 'fun', as the other guys on the island would call it. That stuff could wait. On our first night, we just lay there, holding each other as we fell asleep._

_I can only hope that every night will be like this._

_Yours (you can use me as a pillow any time),_

_Luke_


	20. The Final Letter

**Oh my goodness, it's finally arrived! The final letter of Dear Molly! I actually made myself sit down and write this today, knowing that I'd kept people waiting for far too long xD. And, viola, the finished product! I really do hope you enjoy this final letter, and that you don't mind the utter fluffiness/sappiness. It IS their wedding, so I think the extra fluff is excusable ;).**

**But WAIT! This isn't a final goodbye. I plan on writing an epilogue chapter that is not in letter form. What will this epilogue consist of? Well you'll just have to wait to find out ;).**

**As per usual, please review if this tickled your fancy/floated your boat/any other strange cliche I might've missed! Reviews mean a ton to me, especially as this story draws to a close. I always love hearing from you all!**

**Enjoy :)!**

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><p><em>Dear Molly,<em>

_I suppose it was inevitable. Ever since the moment I first saw you, I knew that I was head over heels. But still, I never thought the day would come when we would get married._

_The morning was slow and serene. The sun shining on our faces woke us up. You never were one for regimented schedules and strict timing, so your lack of an alarm clock didn't surprise me. Thank goodness I feel the same way; if, somehow, in some bizarre parallel universe you ended up with Gill, I don't think he'd be able to stand it! The guy always was a stick in the mud._

_I was still holding you like I'd been the night before. We smiled at each other for a moment as we let the plans for the upcoming day sink in; what would become the best day of our lives, we hoped._

_"Well, this is it." You said with a lovestruck sigh. Or at least, I like to think it was a lovestruck sigh. Did you enjoy waking up to my face this morning as much as I enjoyed waking up to yours?_

_"You wanna shower up while I cook breakfast?" I asked you, carefully untangling my arms from yours and standing myself up._

_"Sounds like a plan!" you told me, and we both hopped to it._

_The morning passed by swiftly as we went about our business in preparing for the day ahead. Pretty soon we were walking out the door with our wedding garments in hand, heading towards the church._

_I've passed the church several times before (the mine cart lets out there, so passing by is the quickest way to get into Harmonica town), but I don't think it's ever looked as beautiful as it did today. The white outer walls looked warm and welcoming, and the stained glass window in front reflected the midmorning sun perfectly, giving it a sort of sparkle. Due to its being on exceptionally higher ground than the rest of the island, there was a constant spring breeze blowing; not an uncomfortable breeze, rather a pleasant one that tickled your skin in welcome. My dear, it seems you and I picked the perfect day for a wedding._

_As soon as we crossed the threshold of the entrance, we were swarmed by people. I was quickly carried off by Owen and Toby, my best men, and Paolo, the ring bearer. You were whisked away by Kathy, your maid of honor, Renee and Candace, your bridesmaids, and Chloe, the one and only flower girl._

_As soon as I arrived in the back room, the changing process began. Toby helped me take off my usual clothes, while Owen handed me my tuxedo. Do you remember getting that tuxedo from Sonata Tailoring? You said you wanted something more classic, but I insisted on wearing the blue one, telling you that it was just too EXTREME to pass up! Finally, you let me buy it, saying that, if anything, "at least it'll be something unique". I couldn't agree more._

_Finally, the tux was on and my hair was combed. I kept my bandana on, of course, seeing as we'd both agreed that the ceremony wouldn't be complete without it. I wanted to take my axe down the aisle too, but you said that it might give people the wrong impression. You were probably right._

_"Alright, it's time. Go get 'em tiger!" he said, practically pushing me out the door._

_"We'll be out there with you in a few!" Toby called, and that was the last thing I heard before they closed the door behind me, leaving me in a silent room filled with people, all waiting to watch me get married._

_I walked apprehensively to the head of the room, and then stood beside the alter. I spent the next few moments trying to ignore the penetrating stares of the onlookers. For a few moments, it felt as though I was back in third grade in the Castanet Elementary School pageant. It was a pageant about the harvest season where all of the kid-crops walked out alphabetically. As the zucchini, I was the last one out there. I remember looking at the audience, feeling their eyes boring into me, and vomiting on the spot._

_I really, really hoped that history wouldn't repeat itself._

_I faintly realized that Owen and Toby had joined me in the front of the room, and that Owen had put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Easy, dude." He whispered so as not to draw too much attention. "You look almost as sick as you did in that third grade harvest pageant."_

_"Thanks for reminding me." I responded dryly, making him laugh. He whispered something else in my ear, but I couldn't hear him; everything else in the room disappeared as soon as you walked in._

_Molly, I've told you how pretty you are before. But at that moment, I think that you were the most stunningly beautiful thing on the planet Earth. Everything about you as you walked down the aisle was absolute perfection. Your hair was done up and soft brown curls framed your face just so. Your dress was simplistic, with just a few white ribbons and patterns, but what struck me most about it was that it was so, unbelievably you. Your hands held a bouquet of pure white flowers. Your eyes sparkled with something I couldn't quite place._

_After a few moments of gaping at your presence, I realized that you were walking closer to me; that this whole, big thing was really happening._

_I felt rising dread in my stomach as the question made itself apparent for the first time; was I ready? Really, truly ready? There were responsibilities that came with being married, but could I handle them? And of course there was work and food and sickness and kids and—_

_My train of thought stopped at a screeching halt when I realized that you were standing across from me. My eyes must have told you how nervous I'd become, because you smiled at me and squeezed my hand in reassurance._

_I suddenly knew that everything would be alright._

_Perry stepped up to his priestly podium and began to speak. "We are gathered here today…" I spent the whole time looking at you, and just thinking about how lucky I was to be standing there. I really hope that you were thinking the same thing._

_The vows eventually drew to a close. And, with a simultaneous "I do" and a big kiss (that may or may not have been a little longer than necessary; I tend to lose track of time when we kiss, you know.), we were married._

_Married._

_Holy crap, we're married!_

_The last thing I remember clearly was running out into the churchyard hand in hand, first posing for pictures and then heading off to the Brass Bar for the wedding party. Everything after that felt like a hazy sort of dream. There was cake and dancing and flower tossing (Maya ended up catching the bouquet. I hope that bodes well for Chase!) and talking and laughing and kissing…and before I could fully take in what was happening we had gone home, and you and I were sitting together on the couch in front of your fireplace._

_"We're…married." I said for what must've been the hundredth time, still trying to get used to the way the words felt on my tongue._

_"Yes we are," you said, "and I wouldn't have it any other way."_

_After that, no words were exchanged. We sat there and held each other for what could've been anything from a few minutes and a few hours, until eventually you silently decided that you were ready to head off to bed. I let you go, immediately missing the feeling of you in my arms._

_You've been lying in bed for awhile now as I've been writing you this letter. You can't imagine how it feels to have been writing you these letters all this time, from the very beginning all the way up until today. It feels like it's been an eternity, but also like it's been no time at all._

_I've decided that this will be my last letter to you. What's the point in writing you letters when I'll be with you every single day from now on? Besides, I'd much rather spend time with the living, breathing you than continue writing._

_And who really knows? I might just let you read them someday._

_Yours (and 'til death do us part),_

_Luke_


	21. Epilogue

**Oh. My. Goddess.** **It's done. Officially. Like, this epilogue is it. Dear Molly is finally being drawn to a close.**

**I have to say, I'm kind of a mixture between sad and relieved. Sad because a popular story that I've thoroughly enjoyed writing is ending, but relieved 'cause I don't have to worry about updating it again, and can therefore feel at least a little bit fulfilled with my fanfiction writing, since I've been gone for the longest time x). So, does this kind of make up for my absence? Sort of? A little bit xD?**

**Anywho, I hope you enjoy the epilogue to Dear Molly. This is not a letter; it actually takes place about fifty or sixty years after the letters were written. Just to clarify; Theo and Alice and Molly and Luke's grandchildren (their daughter, Avery, married Roy, and these are their kids, although you really don't need to know that part). If it helps you to envision them, I picture Alice like Luke's 'Older Daughter' in game and Theo like Luke's 'Younger Son' in game.**

** Here's a picture for reference: albums/ff162/Kachimak/Harvest%20Moon%20Pics/IMG_000031_ **

**Now, enough preliminary stuff; I'll let you read what you came here to read ;). Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Epilogue<em>

The boy laughed maniacally to himself. He knew his plan was genius, but who could've guessed it would work out so perfectly?

The whole thing had gone off without a hitch. He couldn't remember how long he'd spent spying on Alice from around the wall corner that afternoon at their grandparents' house. An hour, two hours, a million years maybe? Standing and waiting until, finally, when she opened the toy box, he spotted his goal; the airplane.

But this wasn't just _any_ airplane, because Theo the Extremely Awesome, as he had officially deemed himself, would not stand around waiting for any old airplane. No, this was the airplane given to them by their grandfather from when he was around their age. It was made of shiny brass that sparkled when you held it up towards light, and it had a propeller that _actually spun_! Never in his six years of living could Theo recall seeing another toy airplane with a spinning propeller.

Of course, Grandpa Luke had intended the airplane to be for both him and his sister. But when Theo's grandmother saw it, she decided that he would have to wait until he was older to play with it. When Theo asked why, she gave him quite the long winded explanation which he, being a six year old, didn't absorb very much of. Something about 'always breaking things' and 'too much like your grandfather'. He couldn't really remember the details.

Ever since then, the shiny brass airplane became Theo's central focus. Every step he took, every careful movement, all of it in order to get closer to the plane he wanted so badly to play with. He was finally able to seize an opportunity when Alice, removing the plane from her toy box as Theo watched from afar, was called out of the room for a moment by their grandmother asking for some help with the dishes.

He wasted no time. As soon as Alice was out of sight, Theo ran in and grabbed the plane, relishing the way the smooth surface felt in his hands. He must've made it about halfway up the creaky wooden stairs before the call of, "THEO!" followed by the sound angry footsteps reached his ears.

"That's Theo the Extremely Awesome to you!" he cried from the top of the stairs, triumphantly waving the captured airplane in the air as Alice came into view below him.

"Give me back my plane!" she shouted, amber eyes flashing angrily.

"It's not your plane, dummy. It doesn't have your initials on it." He pointed out matter-o-factly, but Alice wouldn't have it. Instead of cowering in fear of his awesomeness, as Theo had hoped she would, Alice was walking up the stairs towards him.

"Give. It. Back." She said as she grew increasingly close to her little brother. Theo gulped nervously; Alice certainly could be intimidating when she felt up to it. But he could show no fear. Extremely awesome people aren't scared of anything!

He smiled tauntingly at her before dashing off down the hallway. "_Make me_!" he shouted as the sound of his sister's feet picked up behind him. Theo ran as fast as his legs could carry him through every nook and cranny of their grandparents' upstairs level. He barreled through doorways and darted around corners, but Alice wouldn't give up chase. In the end, he found himself backed up against the wall at the end of the hallway, a dead end, with seemingly no chance of escape. However, just as he was about to hand over the airplane, Theo noticed a thin rope hanging just above his head. When he looked up, he realized that the rope was attached to a small door in the ceiling, probably leading up to an attic. Never in his many explorations of his grandparents' home had he noticed the thin, dangling rope. On any other occasion, he would've treated it with caution. But now, out of all other options, he yanked the rope without hesitation.

Theo delighted in the way Alice's eyes widened when the door in the ceiling opened, letting down a foldable staircase that Theo wasted no time in climbing. He barely had time to take in the dusty room he'd stumbled upon, however. No sooner had he reached the top of the stairs than Alice came up from behind and, in an attempt to grab the plane from his hands, fell on top of him. Both were sent tumbling to the ground, bumping into a pile of cardboard boxes in the process, the highest of which came toppling down and landed on the ground beside them.

"Owww…" Theo moaned, bringing a hand to his head as he sat up. "Jeez, Alice, you gotta watch where you're going. This is how people get hurt, ya know."

"Watch where_ I'm_ going? You're the one who took my plane! If this is anyone's fault, it's yours. And how'd you know about this place anyway? I didn't know this was a part of grandma and grandpa's house…"

Theo just shrugged. "I didn't know about it until you had me cornered. Desperate times call for pulling mysterious ropes hanging from the ceiling!" he said, giving a toothy grin, to which Alice rolled her eyes in response.

After a few more moments of observation, Alice spoke again. "It's an attic." she deduced.

"It's spooky." Theo decided. "Everything up here is so…_old_."

"You got that right." Alice nodded in agreement, picking up one of the papers that had fallen from the box next to her. "I wonder how old these are?"

"Ooh! Maybe they're five years old! Or ten! Or maybe they're…" he paused for dramatic effect, "…_twenty_ years old. Wouldn't that be cool, Alice? If we found stuff that was twenty whole years old? That's more than you and I put together!"

"They're probably even older than that. Now be quiet; I'm trying to read what it says."

"_Dear Molly. Today was your first day in Castanet. It was also the first day I laid eyes on—"_

"What are you two doing up here, making all this noise? It seems like every time you visit you manage to stumble upon something…" a new voice caught the siblings by surprise. The two of them looked up to find their grandmother staring down at them. Her stare was not accusatory; on the contrary, her eyes sparkled with a mild curiosity that was still visible from behind thickly framed glasses.

"Well, for starters, Theo took my plane." Alice said, sending her brother a piercing glare before looking back at their grandmother. "I had to chase him all around the upstairs floor before I finally cornered him, but then he pulled a rope in the ceiling, and we wound up here!"

Their grandmother shook her head, smiling to herself. "Honestly, Theo, you're exactly like your grandfather; neither of you ever ceases to amaze me with the amount of mischief you cause on a daily basis."

"What can I say? Mischief's my middle name!" Theo said with unmistakable pride in his voice.

"Oh, really? 'Cause I thought your middle name was Dale." Alice said, smiling smugly.

"I-I knew that!" Theo shouted, suddenly flustered. "My full name is Theo the Extremely Awesome Mischief Dale Carpenter! Right, grandma?"

Their grandmother laughed, a sweet sound, almost like a bell. "Right, Theo. You're absolutely right." Her attention was then drawn to the paper in Alice's hands, and the several like it that were scattered about the floor, presumably having fallen out of an empty cardboard box laying off to the side. "What is that you're reading, Alice? Most of these boxes are just old holiday decorations from back when Hamilton was mayor and festivals were more common; I don't remember ever putting any papers away."

Alice shrugged. "We dunno either, Grandma; we just started reading. Although…" she paused, picking up a few other papers and comparing them to the first, "it seems like they're all addressed to you." Carefully, she handed the pieces of paper to her grandmother, who took them with delicate hands.

"They're…letters?" she said, looking slightly perplexed, "But I don't remember receiving them. And it looks like they're in your grandfather's handwriting…"Then, as their grandmother began to read, the siblings watched as her face softened and her lips turned slightly upwards, as if recalling something old and fond.

"You two go downstairs." She told them, not once taking her eyes up from the paper in her hands. "If your mother asks, just tell her I'm up here and I'll be down eventually. She always was a worrier; don't want her getting concerned if she doesn't see me for a few hours…"Their grandmother fell silent after that, completely engrossed in whatever it was she was reading. Taking this as their cue to leave, Alice and Theo stepped carefully down the stairs and, once they were back in familiar territory, resumed their battle over possession of the coveted airplane.

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><p>Later that night, long after Alice, Theo, and their parents had come and gone, Luke and Molly sat together in front of the fireplace drinking herb tea, as was their regular Sunday night ritual.<p>

"Boy, do I love it when they visit. It's just like having Avery all over again, except without all the feeding and tantrums and the waking up in the wee morning hours; with grandkids, it's just the fun stuff." He laughed. "They have so much energy! Especially Theo; even I wasn't able to run that fast when Bo and I were kids."

"He's just like you, Luke. I swear, your genes must've skipped a generation! All he needs is a bandana and he'll be an exact copy. I feel bad for whatever girl's gonna have to put up with him when he gets older…"

"Hey! Don't be like that! You've been putting up with me for more than fifty years, and don't try and act like haven't loved every minute of it."

"Hmmm…"Molly hummed thoughtfully, leaning on her husband just a bit as she sat. "I suppose you're right. It's been bearable."

Luke laughed, a raucous, joyful laugh that, even in his old age, still sounded youthful. "Bearable indeed." he said, ceremoniously slurping down what remained of his tea. "Well, I'm going to head upstairs. Will I see you up there soon?"

"I'll join you soon." she said with a smile. "Just give me a few more moments. Oh, and you should probably check the bedside table before you go to sleep."

Luke nodded, then leaned in for a quick kiss, which Molly happily returned. He then turned around, and made his way up the stairs.

At first Luke didn't see anything on the small bedside table. But a closer look revealed a thin, pink envelope with his name written in the center in fancy lettering. That was odd. What had Molly wanted to write to him in a letter that she couldn't just say in person?

Quickly, because he never could do things slowly when he was excited, Luke tore open the envelope and took out the piece of paper inside. He began to read:

_Dear Luke,_

_Alice and Theo found their way up into the attic today and stumbled upon a box with several letters. Your letters, the ones you wrote to me, but that, my guess is, were never sent._

_I can't tell you how happy it made me, reading those words you wrote from way back then._

_You loved me. From the moment you saw me, you said you knew. And that means the entire world, Luke. Everything you wrote. You should have seen me as I read! I was laughing and crying, and pretty soon I couldn't even tell the difference between the two._

_And, considering all the effort you put into those letters, I figured I ought to send one back to you._

_I love you. I loved you decades ago, and I love you now. Now and forever. And 'til death do us part._

_You mean the world, Luke. And I am so happy that I am where I am, and that I'm still with you, in the same house, after all this time. I couldn't be happier. I only wish I had read those letters sooner. It was like reliving our love all over again through memories._

_And I will always enjoy making memories with you._

_Love with all my heart,_

_Molly_

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><p><strong>And there you have it. I think some reviewer mentioned the idea of Molly writing a letter at some point relatively early on, and it kind of stuck with me. I thought it was a good way to finish things off :).<strong>

**Finally, please bear with me while I give a big, resounding THANK YOU to everyone who ever reviewed, favorited, alerted, or even just read and enjoyed my story! I would name names, but there's simply too many of you xD. I am indebted to you all; each and every one of you makes my day whenever you post your feedback, or even add numbers to the traffic stats. I love all of you, and wish you the best in everything you do. May you all have love just like Luke's and Molly's someday :D!**

**~Theatrelove**


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